Is Your Child at Risk?
Missing Children in Canada
No matter what country you live in - across the border or across the seas - your child is at risk. So much so that one missing children recovery expert is now calling the rise of missing children cases an epidemic.
"If any other segment of our population were so impacted, we would declare an epidemic: the center for disease control would fund a cure; we would pass and enforce legislation and we would increase private and public security." (KlassKids Foundation)
Understanding the Numbers, Recovery Attempts and Risk Factors
Prevention is often the best medicine for any epidemic (be it sickness or the rise of missing children cases), but since a large percentage of child abductions are carried out by family members, both prevention and correction prove difficult. In this case 'correction' is safe recovery of the child and the stakes are high.
If a child has gone missing, a parent or custodian's greatest hopes lie in fast action and public awareness through published photos and media attention. The NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children) report that one out of six children featured in photo campaigns are found as a direct result of the photo being published and public awareness.
Abduction Risk Factors
Although this article's focus is on missing children in Canada, Canadian statistics cite 20% of cases as 'unknown' or 'other'. We find more clues in the United States Department of Justice report: nearly half of missing children cases are the result of a parental (or familial) abduction. Given the similarities between our countries, it is safe to assume that the statistics, and cited perpetrators, are also similar.
One report of note from Canada however is the an extensive report of Parental Abduction of Children (2006). (You'll find the Executive Summary here: http://www.ourmissingchildren.gc.ca/omc/publications/parent_e.htm)
Within that report an entire section is dedicated to a 'profiling' of a parent's characteristics generally associated with abduction cases. Such profiling studies are often used to help law enforcement officers to solve crimes. A list of key considerations and characteristics follow.
Reporting time lapse: Most missing children cases are reported to the police on the day the abduction occurred. However many are delayed in reporting or acting on the missing child report.
Recovery time: The majority of parental abductions are short-term and resolved within seven days. In cases where the mother abducted the child the child is usually kept longer time than if the act were of a father.
Abduction details: In most cases, children tend to be taken from the home during weekends or school holidays. Accomplices are used in less than half of all cases.
Parental profile: The profiled age range of the parent is 28-40 years. The majority of missing children abducted by those parents are between 3-7 years of age. Both mothers and fathers are equally likely to abduct their own child - although mothers are more likely to perform the act after a court order is made and fathers tend to abduct their child before the court order has been ruled.
Missing child profile: Both male and female children are equally likely to be abducted.
Such was the case with a young Canadian boy reported missing in December 2001 at 4 years of age. His name is Valor Howell (aka Taylor) and it is suspected he is with his birth mother. Valor's profile, case number and a variety of informative resources can be found here.
Knowledge, foresight and education is power. Understanding profiling, knowing the steps to take if your child is at risk and/or abducted, and quick public awareness of a missing child is crucial to recover more American and Canadian children to their legal guardians or parents.
Published by Laura Childs
Laura Childs has been working online from home in web design, content creation and product sales since 1995. View profile
Head Lice: Is Your Child at Risk?The American Academy of Pediatrics has taken the stance that head lice pose no health risks and schools should treat them as merely a nuisance. Children should not be isolated...
ADHD and Crime: Is Your Child at Risk?If you have a child with ADHD, he/she is at risk of becoming a criminal, says new research. But there's a connection that links their potential for crime to Mom's mental health...- Lead Poisoning: Are Your Children at Risk? Lead poisoning is a very serious health hazard often resulting in nervous system damage, kidney damage, brain damage, red blood cell damage, and in some instances death. Here are five potential dangers that may be lur...
- Rabies: Is Your Family at Risk?While it gets less publicity than it did 30 years ago, rabies is still present, even in busy subsurban residential areas. Learn how to prevent contracting it and what to do if a family member is bitten.
What to Do when Your Child's Toy is Dangerous When a dangerous toy is lying in your midst, removing it should be a top priority. But how do you stop the screams and tears that will inevitably ensue?
- Missing Children Information Cards
- Cut Back on Your Child's Schedule and Cut Back on Your Stress
- YouTube Joins Fight to Find Missing Children
- Child Abduction: How to Keep Your Child Safe
- YouTube Missing Children's Channel Announced
- Post-Katrina Search for Missing Children Continues in Louisiana
- Is Your Child at Risk for Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease?
- Over 60,000 children are reported missing in Canada every year.
- One missing children recovery expert is now calling the rise of missing children cases an epidemic.
- Valor Howell is just one missing child at the age of 4 from a British Columbia, Canada town.
3 Comments
Post a CommentThis has some good info. I am working on a series about child abduction, and have posted two articles you can read if you wish.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/773523/what_you_can_do_when_your_child_is.html
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/773423/is_your_child_at_risk_what_every_parent.html
T.H., I feel the same way no matter how hard I try to have compassion for all living creatures. The ones that harm children is a group which I have no heart nor understanding.
Let me clarify...the animalistic abductors wouldn't necessarily be those parents that for one reason or another abduct, abduct being used only for the sake of continuity and the lack of a more accurate, yet elusive expression, their child(ren). Rather the animals that mean to do outright harm to children are most appropriately described as animals.